All Middle East
Syria conflict: How does Russia view the endgame?Both Washington and Moscow may see few options other than dialogue in a conflict that has taken up to 400,000 lives.
Storming Iraq's Green Zone: Wake-up call for political reform?The protests had a staged quality, but they speak to Iraq's entrenched inequalities 鈥� and the popular thirst to address them.
Saudi plan to end oil 鈥榓ddiction鈥�: How will it change the kingdom?Such a shift has the potential to reshape the country鈥檚 regional profile 鈥� though it is unclear if would play a productive role or expand its proxy wars against Iran.
Pro-Sadr protestors breach Baghdad's fortified Green ZoneOn Saturday, supporters of聽influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr聽stormed into parliament, carrying Iraqi flags and chanting against the government.
Collapse of Syrian cease-fire a reprieve for Islamic StateAmid a cease-fire with rebels, the Syrian government had turned its attention to the terrorist group. But it is now refocusing on rebel-held areas.
In northern Iraq, longstanding tensions surge even as ISIS is pushed backKurdish forces and Shiite militias, nominal allies in the battle against Islamic State forces, are trying to control disputed territory 鈥� often violently.聽
Killing of Palestinian attacker lays bare Israeli rift over army code of conductMilitary leaders condemned the shooting of a Palestinian assailant who lay wounded on the ground, but in a recent poll, a majority of Israelis said the soldier should be freed.
Saudis await prince's vision of future with hope and concernA new 15-year-plan from Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to be announced Monday, is expected to aim to liberate the country from its historic dependence on oil, but after decades of failed reform efforts, the public have concerns.
In southern Lebanon, theater program seeks to build a cultural lifeActor and theater manager Kassem Istanbouli is seeking to encourage an interest in the arts among the youth of Tyre, who have few options for creative outlet.聽
Syrian refugees stuck in Istanbul face relentless test of urban survivalFor Syrians whose path to Europe has been blocked, survival in Turkey's largest city means a constant search for food, shelter, and people to help them.
Turkey-EU refugee deal: New arrivals fall as ethical concerns riseDespite a Turkey-EU vow that the deal now being implemented would be conducted in 鈥渇ull accordance鈥� with international law, rights advocates say refugees' varying circumstances are not taken into account.
Despite deep divides over Syria, Turkey rolls out the welcome mat for IranTurkey and Iran are engineering a partial rapprochement after an extended period of heated disputes. Turkey is hosting the Organization of Islamic Cooperation this week.
FocusIsraeli kibbutz tries a new crop: high-tech startupsOnce a bold experiment in communal living, Israel's kibbutzim have been in decline. Now some hope the farming collectives can provide fertile ground for the startup culture.
John Kerry says Iran is pulling troops out of Syria. Is it?The Obama administration says that Iran is drawing down its elite fighting force from Syria. But Iran says it isn't.聽
Syrian forces seize Islamic State-held town near PalmyraSupported by more than 40 Russian air strikes,聽Syrian forces said the strategic victory helps secure oil and gas routes while disrupting Islamic State supply routes within Syria.
Azerbaijan: Unilateral cease-fire against Nagorno-KarabakhRebel forces have disputed reports of a cease fire, after a weekend of attacks that killed 30 troops on both sides. The violence was the worst in the conflict since 1994.
In Washington, Turkey's president is angling for a close-upPresident聽Erdo臒an is leaving his troubles behind for a few days to attend a security summit in Washington. Being seen with Obama tops his to-do list.
Egyptian hijacker arrested after standoff in CyprusAn Egyptian man, who claimed to have a bomb, hijacked an EgyptAir plane flight traveling from Alexandria to Cairo, and diverted it to Cyprus. He's been arrested.聽
The Israeli model: What airport safety looks like, and what it costs travelersSecurity measures at Israel's main airport, one of the world's safest, are vastly different from those in Brussels. But there is a tradeoff.
Israel decries resolution by UN rights councilThe resolution calls for the establishment of a database of businesses "involved in activities" in the occupied West Bank.
